Kansas City Chiefs Coach Eric Bieniemy Reportedly Has Competition For Colorado Job In Bret Bielema
Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy could still be headed to Colorado. The former Buffaloes running back is still interested in taking over the Pac 12 program, according to those close to him. While it once appeared he would be the only target the school reached out to, if he wanted the job, there is now reportedly another candidate. Former Wisconsin and Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has reportedly expressed interest in the position.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on Twitter that there is more than a little interest from both sides. Bielema is said to be interviewing for the Colorado Buffaloes opening in the near future. At this point, it appears the job is going to be a two-man race and the real question is whether or not Colorado is going to pick the alumnus who has plenty of assistant coaching experience in the NFL, or the man who has been the head coach at two colleges.
As Bleacher Report points out, it would seem as though Beiniemy would be the obvious choice to fill the void. More than just a former Colorado Buffaloes player, he’s also had several successful years in a row as the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs. Since 2018, the Chiefs offense has been one of, if not the, most feared offense in the entirety of the NFL.
Yes, the weapons Bieniemy has at his disposal to execute his offense help, but he’s been credited as one of the brighter minds in the league by numerous scouts and analysts. He’s also been someone who has been interviewed by quite a few NFL head coaching jobs, without landing any offers.
The real catch when it comes to predicting if the offensive coordinator would take the job is whether or not he wants to drop down a level, even when he’s on the cusp of getting a head coaching job at the highest level of the sport. On the other hand, New York Post reporter Ryan Dunleavy tweeted out Monday morning that his sources have told him Bielema badly wants to get back to college as a head coach.
While Bieniemy is part of the Andy Reid coaching tree, Bielema is a member of the Bill Snyder family of coaches. His first head coaching job, with the Badgers, went swimmingly. In seven years at Wisconsin, he amassed a 68-24 record before moving onto Arkansas. His record was quite a bit worse with the Razorbacks and he was fired after five seasons and a 29-34 record.
Denver area reporter Mike Klis tweeted Kansas City Chiefs and Colorado Buffaloes fans should find out whether Eric Bieniemy or Bret Bielema gets the job shortly. He claimed the situation was going to get “clarity” by the close of business on Wednesday.
